Hello and welcome!
I understand that looking for a therapist can feel confusing, maybe even overwhelming and I know that it may take courage to seek help. Finding the right therapist for you will help co-create the relationship that is at the heart of the success of the therapeutic process.
When you feel overwhelmed, fearful, angry, deeply sad, lost, disconnected, or lonely, it can be helpful to have someone supportive alongside you. I have personally experienced the difference that having a non-judgemental, empathic, and interested therapist beside me can make in life and I would like to offer that back. When we are truly seen and heard by another, we can discover more of ourselves.
The results of the therapy can be immensely rewarding, transformative, empowering and can lead to shifts in the way we feel about ourselves and others. Embarking on your therapeutic journey will help you gather the strengths and skills needed to overcome a range of difficulties such as anxiety, stress, depression, unhealthy and often self-destructive behaviours, addiction, relationship difficulties and significant life changes.
My approach
I am in my final year of training (submission stage) for my Diploma in Humanistic and Integrative Counselling at BCPC (www.bcpc.org.uk). I also hold a MBCT (Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy) certificate from Oxford Mindfulness Foundation and studied law as an undergrad. I have worked with clients dealing with addiction at The Swan Project for three years and I have learned that addiction is often a way of trying to cope with human suffering. I have a special interest in identity and sense of self.
Humanistic and Integrative counselling offers the opportunity to look at the whole person, considering the mental, physical, and emotional needs, focusing on the individual as a whole. It draws on different techniques and tools from various modalities to tailor an individual approach for the client which will improve the efficiency of the therapeutic process.
I aim to build a holding, trusting and non-judgemental relationship that helps my clients develop self-awareness and encourage exploration of how to heal themselves. I like to work creatively, incorporating elements of compassion and mindfulness. My approach is tailored to your needs, helping you navigate what is relevant for you. Through our work together we’ll both explore your story with empathy and curiosity, aiming to really understand what had happened to you in the past, and how this might be affecting your present.
Fees and availability
I am able to offer low-cost counselling at £35 per 50 min session.
I work with individual adult clients (18+ years) and offer long- and short-term therapy sessions.
I am a BACP member https://www.bacp.co.uk/ and abide by their code of ethics.
Contact
If you would like to find out more and arrange an initial appointment with me, please feel free to contact me at irina@irinacounselling.co.uk or visit my website www.irinacounselling.co.uk . I will be pleased to offer you a free 30-minute introductory online session to discuss what brings you to therapy or answer any questions you might have. That will give both of us a sense of the prospect of working together.